Envelope machine



June '2, 1927. 1,631,146

A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed Sept. 15. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I J -l jfiventor; AbrgihamIVbvik; I 11 June 7 y 1927.

A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .lalxllllllhis .Attofngy.

Patented June 7, 1927.

UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

ABRAHAM ivo-vlon, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK; ASSIGNOR TO 13. L. smrnn MACHINE COMPANY, INCORPORATED, on NEW YORK, Y., A- CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ENVELOPE MAenINn.

Ap'p-libation filed septemter 15, 1921'. Serial No. 500,796.

This invention relates to envelope machines and particularly to that class thereof which isa'dapted for assembling and folding together an envelope blank and a liningtherefor. The object-of my improvements is to provide a machine of the class specified of simple'construction and which through the overlapping of the timing-oat several moving parts permits a high speed of operation J While maintaining accuracy of result-;

With these ends in view my improvements comprise features Whielnai'e illustrated in the dran -ings accompanying this specification as embodied in an envelope machine of the Well known plunger type and wherein:

Figure 1' is a longtudinal 'sectional'elevation of so much of an envelope machine as" will suffice to adequately illustrate my improvements; The section is taken on line 1-'1 of Fig; 2. Fig. 2 is a plan View corresponding with the showing of F 1 those parts. above line 22 of Fig. 1 being removed to show more clearly the essential feataxes of the mechanism. Fig; 3' is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a detail of my improved machine. tional elevation-similar to'that of F ig. 1', but showing the parts in different relative positions. Figs. 1', 2 and 4t are-to one scale and I 30 Fig. Sis to a much larger scale.

The machine of the present inventionis particularly directed-to assembling" the. two portions or blanks of paper which when assembledare folded into a lined: envelope. For this purpose the lining blank is but slightly smaller than the envelope blank, and preferably overlaps gummed portions of the envelope blank for securing the-lining in place.

Briefly, in the machine of the present in vention, the stack of envelope blanks; the stack of lining blanks and the folding box comprise three stations and are arranged soquentially in one line, so that the envelope blank after being taken from the top of the stack is'ad'va-nced, with the exception of aninstantaneous dwell at the lining station, continuously in one direction tothe folding box. The envelopeblank. is lifted from the top of the stack of blanks by the usual-vertical reciprocating gummer-pickers, and; is stripped ofl and-dropped ontoa' horlzontally V reciprocatingconveyor whichis introduced below the blank just before the blank is Fig; 4 is a sec-' 'stripped'from the pickers. At the sametime a picker, preferably pneumatic, lifts the top liningblank from its stack, and the gummed envelope blank passes thereunder, pausing ]L1St long enough to receive the lining blank which is delivered thereon by the desce'nt 'ot' the lining picker. Coincident with the advanco me'nt of the envelope blank to the lining station,- re'ciprocating grippers move horizontally toward the lining station from a direction opposite to the directionof travel ot the envelope blank, grip the leading edge and which slide is moved upwardly from time to time to'keep the top of the stack at a requisite height to be engaged by the pickers; by known meansnot shown. Above said stack and mounted for vertical reciprocation toward and from the top of the stack are gummerepickers 6*, 7 and 8; These pickers are preferably mounted for horizontal adustment on cross-bar 9 fixed'to vertical slide Said slide is moved up and down at.

l0. predetermined times by lever 11 pivoted at 12 on the machine frame; One end of said leverisconnected-by link 13 to cross-head14 ofslide 10 and the other endis operatively connected by rod 15 to In-actuating cam not shown- Gum is supplied from time to time to the lower faces of pickers 6, 7,8, when they are in their-upper positions of Fig. 1

by the usual reciprocating g-u-m rolls; not

shown. Directly above the topo-f-sta'ck 3 is horizontally reciprocatingcarrier 16- mountedfor movement lengthwise the machine in opposite guidesI'Z, 18. This carrier not; only transports the envelope blank-to the liningstation but at thatstationacts} as atable for thereon of the lining blank, and receives" the pressure of the lining'picker in such application. Near the left hand endof said carrier are a pair ofspacedaparthooks 19,, for engaging the contiguous edge of theenvesupporti-ngthe blankduri'ng the application lope blank 3'? when that blank is stripped off thepickers by stripping plate 21 and for insuring the retention of said blank on the carrier when that carrier moves forwardly to the right from the position of Fig. 1.

For moving said carrier 16, the rear edge thereof, Fig. 1, upper edge in Fig. 2, is provided with a forwardly reaching arm 22 terminating in ear 28 and to which ear is pivotally attached one end of link 24. The other end of said link is pivotally attached to the free end of lever 25 fixed to shaft 26 in the lower part of the machine. Said shaft 26 may be oscillated at predetermined times to move carrier 16 from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 4 and back again,

" by the usual cam means not shown. The

stack of lining blanks is disposed in the line of travel of carrier 16, the top of said stack lying just below the path of the carrier. Also said stack 30 is located as near envelope blank stack 3 as the blank handling mechanisms will permit, so as to afford the minimum amount of travel of the envelope blank to the lining station.

Said stack of lining blanks is supported on table 27 of vertical slide 28 and which slide is moved upwardly from time to time to keep the top of the stack at a requisite height to be engaged by picker 29, by known means not shown. Above said stack, fixed to plunger 31, mounted for vertical recipro:

cation issaid picker 29. Plunger 31 is tubular and picker 29 is of hollow construction, having in its bottom face openings 32, to present a suction face to the topmost blank of the stack. The air is exhausted from said plunger and picker from time to time as required through pipe 33 connected with an exhaust pump of known character and the exhaust is governed by known means, neither of which are shown. For raising and lowering plunger 31, collar 34 thereof is connected by link 35 with one end of lever 36 pivoted at 37 on the machine frame. The other end of said lever is operatively connected by rod 38 to an actuating cam not shown. For preventing the displacement of envelope blank 8* on its carrier 16 when that carrier pauses at the lining station, one or more oscillating fingers, one of which 89, is shown, are provided. Said finger 89 is pivoted at 40 on the machine frame and is oscillated from time to time from a suitable cam, not shown, rod 41 operatively connecting said lever and cam. The other end 39 of said finger is adapted and actuated for swinging into the path of said blank contiguous to its leading edge, when in its lining receiving position, and just before the blank reaches such position, Figs. 2 and 4.

In line with the envelope blank stack and the lining blank stack and beyond the lining blank stack as short a distance as is consistent with the necessary space for collateral mechanism, is folding box 42 of known construction. Suflice it to state that said box is of rectangular inner conformation and therebelow is provided with the usual folding wings as 43, 44 actuated by known means not shown. Above said folding box is reciprocating plunger 45 adapted and actuated by knownmeans not shown, to descend and push into said folding box the assembled envelope and lining blanks when delivered in place and then to withdraw to repeat the operation.

For receiving the assembled envelope and lining blanks from carrier 16 at the lining station and advancing those assembled blanks to the folding station, reciprocating means, operating in the same line as carrier 16 but from the opposite direction are provided. Preferably these means comprise a pair of spaced-apart parallel slides 46, 47 traveling in guides 48, 49 respectively fixed to the machine frame. Those ends of said slides nearer the lining station are provided with sheet gripping means. As these and other features of said slides are the same for both, a description of slide 47 and its appurtenances will suffice for both. The gripping means on said slide comprises fixed jaw 50 and jaw 51 pivoted thereto at 52. Said pivoted jaw 51 has latch arm 53 for engagement with latch 54 pivoted at 55 to fixed jaw 50. Spring 56 connecting pivoted jaw 51 and latch 54 is efficient for urging said pivoted jaw toward fixed jaw 50 and for urging said latch toward latch arm 53. Said latch arm is provided with cam roll 57 for engagement with fixed cam 58 for opening jaw 51 and latch 54 has pin 59 forengagement with downreaching arm 60. For actuating slide 47, ear 61 thereof is connected by link 62 to the free end of lever 63 fixed to shaft 64 near shaft 26. A similar arm 65 is also fixed to shaft 64 and is similarly connected to slide 46. Shaft 64 is oscillated at suitable times by cam means of known character not shown.

For receiving and locating the assembled envelope and lining blanks over the folding box the following means are provided. A reciprocating grid, comprising rails 66, 66, 66, is pivotally connected at 67 to the upper end of lever 68 pivoted at 69 to the frame of the machine. The lower arm 70 of said lever is operatively connected by rod 71 to cam mechanism of known character not shown. This grid is moved in the line of travel of the blanks, to above the folding box for receiving the blanks thereon and then withdrawn, to the position of Fig. 2, 'to permit plunger 45 to push the blanks into the folding box. Spaced apart a distance suflicient to permit plunger 45 to pass therebetween and disposed parallel with the line of travel of the blank, are opposite hooks 72, 7 3. Said hooks spring from table 74, onto which the blanks are delivered and their noses project to the left over the path of said blanks and the blanks are delivered under said noses with envelope blanks, it vvill be appreciated, of course, that-this use is merely illustrative and that the principle of the invention may be employed for assembling other parts,

1. In an envelope machine having three stations, the combination of instrumentalities arranged and operating in one line for advancing the envelope blank from the first 7 station to the third station comprising reciprocating means moving in one direction for advancing the blank from the first to the second station, and other reciprocating means, independent of, said first means, moving in the opposite direction for receiving the blank from the first reciprocating means and then reversing its direction of travel for continuing the advancement of the blank to the third station.

'2. In an envelope machine havingthree stations, the combination of instrumentalities arranged and operating in one line for advancing the envelopeblank from the first station to the third station comprising reciprocating means moving in one direction for advancing the blank from the first to the second station, and other reciprocating means, independent of said first means, moving in the opposite direction for receiving the blank from the first reciprocating means and then reversing its direction of travel for continuing the advancement to the third station, the transfer of the blank from the first reciprocating means to the other reciprocating means being accomplished While the blank is being operated upon at the second station.

3. In an envelope machine having three stations, the combination of a series of instrumentalities arranged in one line for advancing the envelope blank from the first station to the second station and thence to the third station comprisingreciprocating means moving in one direction for advancing sai-d envelope blank from the first to the second station, and other reciprocating means, independent of said first means mov ing in the opposite direction for receiving the envelope blank from the first reciprocating means and then reversing its direction of movement for continuing the advancement of the blank to the third station, said blank remaining in the control of said first reciprocating means until engaged by said second reciprocating means.

4. In'an envelope machine having means for supporting a stack of envelope blanks, means for lifting the uppermost blank from the stack, a lining station and a folding stadirection of movement for continuing the. advancement of the blank to the foldingstation. i

5. In an envelope machine having means for supporting a stack of envelope blanks, means for lifting the uppermost blank from the stack, a lining station and a folding station, the combination of a series of 'instru mentalities arranged-and operating in one line for advancing the envelope blank from the lifting means'to thelining station and thence to the folding station comprising reciprocating means moving in one direction fcr advancing said envelope blank from the lift ng means to the lining station, and other reciprocating means independent of said first means moving in the opposite direction for receiving the envelope blank from the first reciprocating means-and then reversing its direction of movement for continuing the advancement of the blank to the folding 'station, the transfer of the envelope blank from the first reciprocating means to the other recipro cating means being accomplished While the lining blank is'being deliveredonto the envelope blank.

6. In an envelope machine having means for supporting a stack of envelope blanks,

means for lifting the uppermost blank from the stack, a lining station and a folding station, the combination of a series of instrumentalities arranged in one line for advancing the envelope blank from the liftin means to the lining station and thence to thIe folding station comprising reciprocating means moving in one direction for advanc-' ing said envelope blank from the liftin means to the lining station, and the other re ciprocating means, independent of said first means, moving in the opposite direction for receiving the envelope blank from the first reciprocating means and then reversing its direction of movement for continuing the advancement of the blank to the folding station, said blank remaining in the control of said first reciprocating means until engaged by said second reciprocating means.

7. In an envelope machine having a lining station and a folding station, the combination of a carrier-table adapted to receive an envelope blank, transport it to the lining station and to there support the blank during the application of the lining blank thereto,

and other means, independent of the carriertable, reciprocating in the same line as the carrier-table for continuing the advancement of the blank from the lining station to the folding station. I

8. Incombination, a folding station, a

lining station, means supporting a stack of envelope blanks, means supporting a stack of lining blanks in line With the said folding station, lining station and said stack of envelope blanks, means for, transporting one of each of said blanks to the lining station to there unite them, and means for delivering the united blanks to the folding station.

9. In combination, means supporting a stack of envelope blanks, means supporting a stack of lining blanks, a lining station, a creasing station in line with said stacks of blanks and said lining station, and a carriage for receiving an individual envelope blank and transporting it to the lining station and there supporting it during the application of the lining blank thereto.

10. In combination, means supporting a stack of envelope blanks, means supporting a stack of lining blanks and a folding station, said stacks and station being in line with With each other, a lining stat-ion adjacent to said stack of lining blanks, means for conveying an individual envelope blank to the lining station, means for applying anoindividual lining blank to said mainblank at the lining station and means for delivering the united blanks to the folding station.

11. In combination, a folding station, means supporting a stack of envelope blanks, means supporting a stack of lining blanks in line with said folding station and first men tioned stack, means for lifting an individual blank from the first mentioned stack and transferring the same to a position just above said stack of lining blanks, means for lifting an individual lining blank from said stack of lining blanks, holding said lining blank in raised position until the arrival of said first mentioned blank, and then depositing the said lining blank thereon, and means for transferring the united blanks to the folding station. Y

12. In combinatiom-mcans supporting a stack of lining blanks, a folding station,

means supporting'a stack of envelope blanks in line with said folding station and the first stack of blanks, reciprocating means forlifting the uppermost envelope blank from the stack of said blanks, reciprocating means" adapted to receive said blank and transport it to a position just above the said stack of lining blanks, reciprocating ineansto lift the up permost lining blank from thestack of said blanks and todeposit said lining blank on said envelope blank, and means for engaging the united blanks and transporting them to the folding station. v

13. In combination, a lining station, means supporting a stack of lining blanks under said lining station, a folding station, means supporting a stack of envelope blanks in line vwith said stations, a reciprocating gumm'erpicker for lifting the uppermost blank from, said stack of envelope blanks, a reciprocating carriage adapted to slide under said gum- .stack of lining'blanks, a lining station, a

creasing station in. line With said lining station, a carriage for receiving an individual envelope blank and transporting it to said lining station and there supporting it during the application of the lining blank thereto, and means for taking the duplex blank from said carriage. and transporting it to said creasing station.

-15. In a machine for assembling plural parts of sheet material, means for supporting a stack of one of such parts, means for lifting the uppermost of said parts from the stack and holding it in elevated position, means for interposing another part between the lifted part and its stack and means for applying the lifted part to the said other part. r r

16. In a machine for assembling plural parts of sheet material, means for supporting astack of one of such parts, means for lifting the uppermost of said parts from the stack and holding it'inelevated position, a table for supporting another part to be united With the lifted part, means for mov ing said table to interpose it together with the 'supported'part between the lifted part and the stack from which such part was lifted, and means for applying the lifted partto the part on said table. 7

In wit-ness'whereof, I hereby aflix my signature this 13th day of Sept, 1921.

' ABRAHAM NOVIGK. i 

